I have found Shashi Tharoor, the Indian politician, writer and a former international diplomat, someone who I regard when it comes to his writings. I recently read his book Inglorious Empire which was a critique of the British colonial past in India. He is currently serving as a member of parliament, Lok Sabha, from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, since 2009.
As a new decade gets underway Shashi Tharoor has written an attack on what he calls the once celebrated India which is giving way to a violent, intolerant, illiberal autocracy. He singles out eight factors that have impacted the country’s society and politics.
First, he singles out the social consequences of a deepening democracy that has become entrenched, empowering previously marginalised castes and communities. He refers to the 1989 Mandal commission providing quotas in government jobs ending the dominance of the urban anglophone elite.
Secondly, he touches on globalisation and the backlash that has erupted in India. Today conservatives in India shudder at the breakdown of social and sexual mores shown in film and on television shows. Traditionalists are recoiling at women going to work in jeans and other non-Indian clothing.
Thirdly, he raises the revolt against the political insider class. The high and mighty who live in the heart of the capital are viewed as corrupt, complacent, inefficient and resistant to change. Protesters are demanding the country be cleansed of the corrupt ruling class.
Fourth, since 1991 the liberation of the statist Indian economy has emerged as a response to global market realities. This has produced an increasingly rich business community who are demanding that further obstacles in their path be removed.
Fifth, increasing religiosity over the last quarter of a century has been growing to counter the revival of Hindutva. He cites the propagation of Wahabi theology in new mosques funded from outside India as a contributor towards increasingly an issue.
Sixth, here he cites the growth of terrorism in India and the rise of the Hindu consciousness partly driven by Pakistan stepping up its campaign in Kashmir. Since the short but bloody war in 1999 when Pakistani troops infiltrated the Kashmir line of control disguised as Kashmiri militants there has been growing hostility towards Pakistan.
Seventh, he focuses on the demographics of India where 65 per cent of the population are under 35 years of age. Like other countries with a large and growing young population there is increasing noise about the lack of change and progress. The young are tired of the old and messy coalitions and are demanding a more assertive and self-confident India. Prime Minister Modi has broken the mould and given the young hope for the future.
Eighth, he talks about the explosion of social media with platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp becoming major influencers as well as recyclers of age-old prejudices. Today on social media prejudices that previously many would never have dared to raise are shared with those willing to listen to twisted views. Suddenly, bigotry became respectable and animosity towards others that was previously concealed under a veneer of civility has become an electoral asset.
Love or hate the writings of Shashi Tharoor, there is no doubt that it is his combination of wit, charm, wry humour and intelligence that make him someone held in high esteem, both in India and abroad.
Gordon is the former president and chief executive of BMMI. He can be reached at gordonboyle@hotmail.com